About

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon). I had been raised a member of the Church my entire life, with a good home life and incredible parents who taught me correct principles.

During my High School years, as I think most do, I had a stage of slight rebellion where I fell away from the traditions of my parents and family. I never quit going to Church, and I did what I was told for the most part, but I wasn’t doing it by my own testimony or by my own desires. But I had decided that I simply didn’t want to follow the principles that had been placed before me.

I graduated from High School and headed off to Brigham Young University-Idaho, a private school owned by the Church. There, I continued in the same lifestyle, but simply because that’s what had been engrained in my life for so long. I wasn’t attending a Church school for anything more than an education and a familiar way of life.

As male members of the Church are expected to serve a full-time Mission for two years from age 19, I filled out my application. I received my letter, and four months later, I left to serve as a Missionary in Albuquerque, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas. I was called to speak Spanish. I didn’t know a single word. This two-year experience changed my life more than I could even begin to describe. I was forced to leave family and friends, with very limited communication. I left education and romantic relationships. I left jobs and personal comforts behind, all to spread the Gospel with others door-to-door. It wasn’t until I was forced to share what I knew and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to other people that I really gained my own testimony. For the first time in my life, I saw miracles in other peoples’ lives. I witnessed first-hand the change that came to others from following the commandments of God that I was teaching them.

In seeing this change and joy in others, my faith in what I was doing began to grow. It motivated me to work harder. I plunged into the Spanish language, and became fluent in a few months. I enveloped myself in the scriptures, for my own knowledge, but also in order to be able to help others with theirs. I started to seek out ways to serve people through genuine charity. Little by little, my self-absorbed teenage mindset was shifted. My inward thoughts had now been molded and projected outward. I had a genuine desire to help those around me.

I think the largest changed I viewed through this entire experience, however, was the power of scripture. Studying Holy Scripture every morning, I gained an appreciation that I had never before seen. There was a certain presence or spirit that came into my life. I found it easier to resist the temptations that I was facing. I discovered the ability to feel more of the love of the Lord for me. And I had a renewed sense of guidance in my life as I found the answers to my problems through the parables and teachings.

This is my motivation for creating LayTreasuresInHeaven.com. In the New Testament, Matthew 6:19-20 reads, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.” I hope that through this website, people will be able to find those treasures for themselves. By providing small scriptural thoughts and other motivational stories, I hope to generate this change in others, so that they can enjoy the benefits that I’ve seen.

If people would truly delve into the scriptures with an open heart and sincere intent, they’ll see a mountain of change like never before.

The Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price constitute the standard works of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Scripture from these books will be cited on this website.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, a great resource to check out is: www.mormon.org. And, if you hate Mormons and don’t want a single thing to do with them, then I think you’re close minded and should give it a chance. But in the case that you’re still not interested, forget that I ever mentioned that and enjoy the posts on the main page.